Yesterday

novel by Dermoût

Also known as: “Nog pas gisteren”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The novel Yesterday was written by Maria Dermo\u00fbt and published in 1951. It is a fictionalized account of her childhood on a sugar plantation in central Java, Dutch East Indies. Dermo\u00fbt, who was of Dutch descent, spent most of her life in the East Indies. Her work is known for its subtle and evocative portrayals of colonial life, detailing the experiences of both colonials and native people with clarity and sensitivity. The novel is rich in descriptions of island life, capturing the coexistence of colonialism with a lush, primitive beauty.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Maria Dermoût
…novels, Nog pas gisteren (1951; Yesterday) and De tienduizend dingen (1955; The Ten Thousand Things), are fictionalized accounts of her youth. Although written in an economic style, the two novels are rich in details of island life as experienced by both the colonials and the native people. Among Dermoût’s other…
Read More
…novels, Nog pas gisteren (1951; Yesterday) and De tienduizend dingen (1955; The Ten Thousand Things), are fictionalized accounts of her youth. Although written in an economic style, the two novels are rich in details of island life as experienced by both the colonials and the native people. Among Dermoût’s other…
Read More